Emergency action to safeguard babies at birth who are at risk of significant harm is sanctioned in a number of international jurisdictions, including the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. However, there is widespread international disquiet about this practice, regarding breaches of parents’ Articles 6 and 8 rights (Human Rights Act 1998), as well as the reliability of hasty decisions for children. This article reports the findings from the first large-scale qualitative study of professional and parental experience (n = 307 participants) of compulsory State intervention at birth, with a specific focus on urgent care proceedings. Completed in eight local authority areas and corresponding health trusts in England and Wales (2019–2021), the study concludes that children’s social care, hospitals, and the family courts are not yet sufficiently aligned around the needs of a small, but highly vulnerable population of mothers, their partners, and babies to ensure equitable, just or effective practice in cases of urgent care proceedings. Evidence is provided from both professionals and parents about the highly consequential nature of interim decisions, particularly where they result in physical separation of mother and baby at birth. The article advances knowledge about the distinctive challenges of issuing family court proceedings in the immediate post-partum period and calls for a fundamental review.

中文翻译：

---

英格兰和威尔士新生儿的紧急护理程序——是时候进行基本审查了

包括英国、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰和欧洲在内的许多国际司法管辖区都批准采取紧急行动保护出生时面临重大伤害风险的婴儿。然而，国际上普遍对这种做法感到不安，因为它违反了父母第 6 条和第 8 条的权利（1998 年人权法），以及草率决定对儿童的可靠性。本文报告了对出生时强制国家干预的专业和父母经验（n = 307 名参与者）的第一次大规模定性研究的结果，特别关注紧急护理程序。该研究在英格兰和威尔士（2019-2021 年）的八个地方当局区域和相应的健康信托机构完成，得出的结论是，儿童的社会护理、医院、家庭法庭还没有充分满足少数但高度脆弱的母亲、她们的伴侣和婴儿的需求，以确保在紧急护理程序的情况下公平、公正或有效地进行实践。专业人士和父母双方都提供了关于临时决定的高度后果性质的证据，特别是在这些决定导致母婴在出生时身体分离的情况下。这篇文章推进了关于在产后立即进行家庭法庭诉讼的独特挑战的知识，并呼吁进行基本审查。专业人士和父母双方都提供了关于临时决定的高度后果性质的证据，特别是在这些决定导致母婴在出生时身体分离的情况下。这篇文章推进了关于在产后立即进行家庭法庭诉讼的独特挑战的知识，并呼吁进行基本审查。专业人士和父母双方都提供了关于临时决定的高度后果性质的证据，特别是在这些决定导致母婴在出生时身体分离的情况下。这篇文章推进了关于在产后立即进行家庭法庭诉讼的独特挑战的知识，并呼吁进行基本审查。